For many years, there has been a heated debate on whether or not Congressional terms should be limited. A constitutional amendment has been proposed several times in Congress and has not passed. Twenty-two States passed their own laws to restrict congressional terms that their representatives can serve. Yet in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that bylaw, states may not limit how long members of Congress can serve as a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. The 5-4 ruling only affected the states'restrictions on Congressional terms, and not the states' restrictions on their state legislators.

Although this was almost 5 years, ago, the debate on whether or not to have Congressional terms continues. In 1996, 14 states decided to indicate on future ballots those legislatures that favored or were against the congressional term limit. This was an attempt to force members on Congress to listen to their people or else they might not get elected. Again in 1997, the House rejected an amendment attempting to limit Congressional terms. The amendment needed 290 votes in the house to pass, but only received 211 (Washington Post 1997, p. M05).

I don't think that there should be a

Varner, Bill, "Voters in 14 States Decide to Limit Congressional Terms," Washington Post, October 17, 1996,p.4A.

While this issue will continue to be debated and probably will someday be added as an amendment to the Constitution, I think Americans already have the power to limit the terms. If this amendment does eventually pass-I hope that someday a really great Congressman is elected to office that has done a great job and is forced to resign because of the limit of terms. Just to prove a point...

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